Jan Vertonghen ‘braced for bidding war between Arsenal and Spurs’

Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen is set to become the subject of a north London bidding war this summer between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Both Harry Redknapp and Arsene Wenger have been monitoring the progress of the Belgian international and are ready to table a bid for his services.

Spurs and Arsenal are ready to battle it out over Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen (Getty)

Their interest in the 24-year-old was further heightened when Bayern Munich declared they would not be pursuing a deal for the defender.

Tottenham view him as a potential replacement for club captain Ledley King , who has continued to battle with injury this season and has today refused to sign a pay-as-you-play deal at White Hart Lane.

The Gunners are rumoured to view Vertonghen as a perfect partner for Thomas Vermaelen , despite the recent good form of Laurent Koscielny and the arrival of Per Mertesacker.

Wenger is keen to take advantage of the fact that Vertonghen and Vermaelen formed a formidable partnership at Ajax and continue to do so for their national side.

It is likely that the Gunners or Spurs will have to part with around £10m to secure the signature of the 24-year-old in the summer.

The defender’s representative has so far denied any approach has been made, but did reveal there is ‘plenty of interest from abroad’, indicating the north London clubs may not be the only ones in the running.